>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Northern Signal Southern Signal
Bell: GS Type 2 E Bell None
Cantilever: Walpar Cantilever Walpar Cantilever
Mast Base: L&W 5" Single Sided ^ L&W 5" Single Sided >
Lights: 9 - 12"x24" Safetran w/ Dialight Ball LEDs
1 - 12"x20" Safetran w/ Dialight Ball LED		 10 - 12"x24" Safetran w/ Dialight Ball LEDs
Junction Boxes: WRRS 2 L&W, 1 WRRS, 1 Safetran
Gate Lights: 4" RECO LEDs 4" RECO LEDs
Gate Mechanism: US&S Model 95 Style 1 w/ Wishbone Mount US&S Model 95 Style 1 w/ Wishbone Mount
Gate Striping: Vertical Striping Vertical Striping


>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Southern Pedestrian Gate
Base: MI 5" Single Sided >
Gate Light: 4" RECO
Gate Mechanism: WCH Style 3 w/ WABCO AL-70 counterweight
Gate Striping: Vertical Striping

Pictures 1-32 were taken in May 2007 by AndrewSaxamophone.
Pictures 33-78 and the video were taken on June 25, 2019, by Tommy McGowan.
This crossing is located on the BNSF Chicago Sub, aka The Racetrack.

1

2

3

Facing West.
Facing East.
The North Cantilever.

Picture 3 shows one of the 12"x20" signals, with a General Signals electronic bell on top. They made the mistake of posting the rear lights on the gate unfortunately.
The FRA says that this crossing gets activated 171 times, but they forgot something important!
The FRA says the crossing gets 112 Amtrak trains, and 59 BNSF trains. They forgot Metra though...
Metra goes by 97 times per day, which makes the total train count 268.

4

5

6

7
Here's a very rare triangle pedestrian gate, with one WCH L.E.D gate light.
An BNSF crosses, with a warbonnet in tow!

8

9

10

11

All 12"x20" lights are incandescent, which surprises me. With how often these signals are active, these incandescents would burn out way too quickly. They should be replaced with either clear L.E.D. or ball L.E.D. lights. All gates though have WCH L.E.D. lights.
The triangle pedestrian gate is posted on a WCH gate, which is very unusual.
The signal in picture 8 doesn't have a bell. The crossing overall only has one bell.

12

13

14

15
Here's what a Metra train looks like.
A case for something...
An electric switch track.
Appears to be related to an electric switch machine, possibly hyudraulic.

16

17

18

19
An underground wire junction box with the Safetran logo.

A cooling fan for a relay case. Never saw anything like this...
Another track view including the BNSF relay case facing East.
Another look at the pedestrian gate.

20

21

22

23
Another picture of the rare triangle pedestrian gate.
BNSF uses remote controlled locomotives on this trackage.
Another look at one of the cantilevers.
A bread truck crossing the tracks.

You can see another pair of 12"x20" lights underneath the main mast lights. Quite an unusual setup there...

24

25

26

27
Some Metra passenger cars.
Another Metra train, with a different paint scheme.
This gate is an US&S model 95.

28

29

30

31
Another look at one of the signals facing East again.
This schedule gives all of the times that Metra trains arrive.

Note: This crossing is right next to a Metra station. People get on and off the trains right near the crossing here.

32
A side view of the cantilever witht he GS bell on it. You can barely see the weird side lights underneath the front mast lights.

Train sightings are very weird and unusual here... On weekdays, you can expect to see about 2 BNSF trains per hour, and passenger train sightings are very common. On weekends, you can expect to see about 3 BNSF trains per hour, and passenger trains are not as common. This crossing is listed as a quiet zone, and I can see why. People around here don't need to hear over 250 train horns per day!

In 2011, the 12"x20" frames were replaced with 12"x24" frames and given new LED lights.
Around 2015 or 2016, the crossbucks and track signs were replaced.
All of the WCH Red LEDs were replaced with 4" RECO LEDs.

33 34
Overview of the updated setup facing north. Overview facing south.
35 36 37
38 39 40
41 42 43
44 45 46 47
The southern signal.
48 49 50
51 52 53 54
55 56 57 58
59 60 61 62
63 64 65 66
The northern signal.
67 68 69
70 71 72
The southern pedestrian gate. It thankfully still retains the WABCO trinagle counterweight.
73 74 75 76
The relay bungalow in the northeast quadrant. The grade is all concrete. Track view facing west at East Ave. Track view facing east towards downtown Chicago.
77 78
There's another crossing just east of here, but it's on private property. It appears to have 12"x24" LEDs, WCH gate mechanisms, and 1 GS E Bell.